In June 2005, then Senator Barack Obama spoke at the national conference of the American Library Association in Chicago. Like most in the audience, it was the first time I had heard him speak, really the first time I was particularly aware of him.

Among many comments tailored to the librarian audience he said, “Libraries remind us that truth isn’t about who yells the loudest but who has the right information.”

All libraries work hard to gather, make available, and use information. We even have it in our mission statement: “Kalamazoo Public Library champions reading, ignites imagination and ensures access to information and ideas.”

Information is a focus for libraries. It’s encouraging to have heard our president acknowledge the importance of the right information and the role of libraries in providing it.